It Was You
by DT46
Summary: The day Erina had Soma's tempura don was the day they were linked for life. Two souls who need each other. One-shots going from the events post chapter 168 to the end of the regiment de cuisine, showing the growing friendship between the redhead and blonde, from tentative allies, to the near unbreakable team of the Totsuki Rebels. Will deviate from the actual regiment events.
1. Teacher Teacher

Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma, just this story.

* * *

 _That tempura don._

…

 _No. It was more than that. It was that day, that my feelings started to change about you._

 _I told you the internal struggle I was having, that I understood both Saiba-sama's passion, and my father's ruthless ideal. It was so hard to think about._

 _Which path was the right one?_

 _And when I finished my speech, I came to the realization that I dropped a lot of information on you, and that you would be annoyed with hearing such things. But you weren't. You offered to make me a dish._

 _And it changed my life._

 _Your tempura don… it made me realize that cooking should be an expression of one's self. Following a strict set of ideals will do nothing to shape the culinary world._

 _It was you, and your never-ending creativity. It was you, and your openness to letting me worry about my problems._

 _I was able to find what I wanted in my life, thanks to you._

…

 _It will always be you._

* * *

Just a few days to go until the Promotion Exams start.

… God, I want everyone to do well. That's one of my main hopes.

Everyone is just too precious to me, that I can't lose them. My time in Polar Star has been so important to who I am as a person.

…

"Oh, Nakiri. You're still up?"

…

And the person who has done the most (not that I would ever say that to his face) is right beside me, looking over my shoulder at the papers with various notes I've written to prepare for tomorrow's lessons.

Sōma Yukihira.

"Of course I am. There is still time to teach all of you guys about the challenges you will face in Hokkaido. I just want to make sure you are prepared adequately."

He proceeded to grab a stool, sitting beside me and looking at the information on my computer, currently loaded up to information about various meats and produce. The lesson for tomorrow would be a mix of various areas, where I would teach the group the best method of incorporating the foods that could be put for us.

I looked to him, eyebrow raised.

"… What?" He asked, and I let out a small sigh.

"You can go to sleep, you know." I retorted, and he just grinned.

"Yeah, but I'm not feeling all that tired."

I shook my head at his response. It was almost midnight, and the rest of the Polar Star members were sleeping already (or something else, if the sounds above our heads was any indication). While the rest of the dorm was diligent during the studies Hisako and I provided, Sōma would sleep through all of them. It was infuriating! His life at Tōtsuki is on the line, and he's choosing to goof off instead of putting some serious effort into this!

"Yes, which is the exact reason why you sleep through all of the lectures I give." I argued, and Sōma knew I was right, as he chuckled sheepishly.

"Alright, you got me." As he said that, he came to a realization. "How about you teach me right now?"

Again, an eyebrow was raised in suspicion.

"And why in the world would I do that?" I had no materials fully prepared, there wasn't anyone else who was going to get these lessons, and most importantly, the idiot sitting beside me isn't suited for getting taught.

"Well, um…" His thinking face was pretty stupid looking, which caused me to giggle.

"Huh? What's so funny?" He asked, while I waved my hand.

"N-not much." I cleared my throat, my giggling spree over. "Anyway, why would I bother to teach you? You would just sleep through everything anyway." Seriously, even when I would toss in the occasional activity, he would just doze off, forcing Hisako or myself to give him a hit on the head.

"Aw, come on, Nakiri! The lessons you have are boring, you can't deny that." I scoffed.

"Even so, learning the uses for ingredients will save you in the long run. I know my father will try to hinder all of the rebels. Because of that, you will need every trick possible to succeed." I reasoned. It seemed to work, as Sōma let out a hum of agreement. But soon, his face lit up, signifying that he thought of something.

"Alright then. How about instead of teaching me, we do some actual cooking, and teach me the older lessons?" He said, making me think for a bit. Well, if Sōma was going to do nothing but sleep through an important class, I might as well try to do something to fix that.

I let out a hum of agreement. "Alright then, Yukihira. I'll bite. Grab some meat and produce."

* * *

I have to commend Sōma's endurance and fire.

It's almost 2 in the morning, and while I felt on the verge of collapsing, he was still going strong, cooking only a little slower than he did a few hours ago.

I tried and sort of failed to suppress my yawn, looking to the redhead in front of me, who was cooking some potatoes like I taught him.

It was nice to see that my lessons were working. The usually thick-skulled Sōma would just ignore me and do what he wanted, but it finally seemed like he was becoming serious.

And the way he cooked, not to mention the food he made me taste leading up to this point, truly solidified the link between him and Saiba-sama. It tasted new, yet vaguely familiar, reminding me of the dishes Saiba-sama gave me all those years ago, as well as Sōma's tempura don.

"How do you do this on a regular basis, Yukihira? It's been two hours and you're still going strong." I said, another suppressed yawn coming soon after.

The thought crossed my mind a few times before, when I saw him looking a bit groggy some days. But my time at Polar Star confirmed how little sleep Sōma gets. In addition to talking with the girls who live at the dorm, who reveal Sōma's inconsistent (at best) sleep schedule, I've woken up some nights, to see him still up, cooking something. We would share a small nod of accepting each other's presence, while I would get some water or some other small task, before I left once again, Sōma still working. It just occurred to me now, as we were both relatively awake, that I could ask how this was possible for him.

He let out a chuckle in response. Knowing him, it probably would have been that downright annoying cackle, if he wasn't mindful of the lack of sounds coming from above us, signifying that the rest of the dorm was sleeping.

"Eh, it just came naturally to me. Cooking gets my mind off stuff, you know?" He said calmly, and for the smallest of seconds, I thought I saw a look of sadness on his face. Before I could even question anything, that stupid grin came back in full force. "Why? Feeling tired?"

"N-no." I lied, wanting to prove his smug face wrong. Another yawn that I couldn't suppress caused him to look at me skeptically, and I finally caved.

"Alright, I am. Happy?" Another small chuckle was his response.

"Not really. You should sleep." He said, sounding like he genuinely cared for my wellbeing. It was unexpected to hear his words, but I recovered quickly, shaking my head.

"No. This is the most progress myself or Hisako have gotten out of you these past few days, and I will get these lessons ingrained in your thick skull." I retorted, causing him to shrug with a small sigh.

"Alright then. One more dish. Then we'll go to sleep." I nodded at the fair compromise. Sōma would still be able to cook, if just for a bit longer, and I would be able to get some rest before tomorrow's teachings. And Sōma would have the knowledge I taught the rest of the Polar Star members.

…

After tasting Sōma's final dish of the night, a feeling that I wasn't familiar with resonated with me. The warmth of the spices and such let me be content.

Not that I would show it to him, of course.

"Well, how is it?" He asked, causing me to smirk.

"It's alright. What's more important is that you were able to apply the lessons I taught you over the night. And I have to say, good work." I lightly, and mockingly applauded, causing him to let out a dry chuckle.

"Jeez, it wouldn't kill you just to say it was good, you know." I simply giggled at his comment. Of course, I _could_ say his food was good. But as annoying as he can be, I have to commend his efforts in the kitchen. From what the Polar Star girls tell me, I can see that he takes after Saiba-sama, in the best of ways.

And like most chefs, he has more to achieve. My godly palate can taste any of his imperfections, after all. He needs the motivation, in order to become anywhere close to what my skills dictate.

And as expected, Sōma took the criticisms in stride, and smiled. "Well, it'll happen someday. Remember what I promised you, Nakiri."

" _I will make you say my food is delicious."_

"Of course I do, Yukihira." I don't think I could ever forget it. It was the first time someone was so certain of something in my presence. "It's just that you have not met those standards." I said sternly with a smirk, making him chuckle once again.

"I know. But I just want you to know that one day, I will make you say it."

We fell into an awkward silence after, neither of us knowing what to say after Sōma's bold redeclaration. Thankfully, I was able to find a way out of the odd feeling.

"I'll hold you to that. Well, I again have to commend your ability to retain the information I have given you, but ultimately, the promotion exams will be the true judge of that." I said as I got up, standing in front of my rival turned ally. "But for now, I will say that you did well."

Sōma put a sheepish hand behind his head, rubbing his neck. "Thanks, I guess. That's probably the most I'll hear out of you."

We shared a small giggle, both of us knowing that it was likely true.

"Well, I have to pack all this up. If we're both up again, maybe I'll ask you to teach me some more. But for now, head to bed, Nakiri. I'll be on my way in a bit."

"Do you need any help?" I asked. In all fairness, Sōma did serve me food that applied my lessons. It felt a bit odd for me to just desert him like that after.

A wave of the hand stopped any attempts from me. "It's alright. Unlike me, you like sleep. I won't stop you."

With that, I couldn't argue. I just started walking away, preparing myself to sleep for as long as possible before another day of teaching.

But before I left, I turned to him.

"Thank you for the meal, Yukihira. And good work."

"Ah, it was nothing." He chuckled once again, as I left the room with a small smile on my face.

That morning, when I woke up to see him cooking once again, I was confused and a bit worried. Sōma's cryptic words about cooking getting his mind off of stuff still lingered in my mind, and I had to wonder: how much longer did he stay up after I went back to my room? Thankfully, he looked the same as always, so I didn't feel the need to question anything.

As long as he was ok, I could rest easy. He would power through the promotion exams, like the rest of the rebels.

* * *

A/N: So... it's been a while, huh?

Hello everyone, and welcome to my new story!

I know it's been a good while since I uploaded anything, so some of you may wonder where I've been, or who I am for anyone who's new. Well, for the new readers, hello there! I'm probably known as the guy that doesn't like fluff, so my 2 main stories are dramatic, angst filled Sorina fics, with only a side project there to help me learn to write fluff.

For the readers who haven't heard from me in a while, well first, I have to apologize. It's been 3 months since the last chapter of Phases of the Moon. But really, I've just had a lack of motivation.

(This will be a mini-tangent about my school life this year, skip if this stuff bores you)

So, school ended... about a month ago, and happily, I did well (enough :p) in all of my courses that I'm actually happy for once! But really, studying for the exams that I had to do was no easy feat, and it drained a whole bunch of energy from me. After taking a few weeks to accept that I actually finished school (and hanging out with both old and new friends), I kinda had an itch to do something, as I've just been NEETing this past month.

But because I actually didn't do awfully this year, my perspective changed in writing, in that I lacked any form of anger at myself or anything. The world is a horrible place, yes, but I just couldn't harness the energy to write anything: fluff, angst or otherwise.

However, I was brainstorming scenes in my head, and something came. So I finally got to writing. And now, here we are.

(Tangent over)

Speaking of, the chapter!

So, this story will be placed after chapter 168, and will have various one-shots going from then to the end of the regiment. Now, this first chapter might sound fluffy, and really, it mostly is.

I'm pretty happy with how it came out, mostly fluff with the slightest hint of drama. I don't know if I hit the dynamic I wanted the two to have at this point (which in my eyes, is allies, nothing more), but I'm still happy. Not much cooking stuff, but what is here is relevant to the plot.

Schedule will be inconsistent, unfortunately. I don't have much planned (besides a few scenes for the future), so I'll need some time to think of stuff.

But beyond that, please leave a review! It's been a long time since I've talked to anyone on FFN, and I'm ready to chat! Be it about the story (which would be super helpful, especially if you can leave a detailed review so I can send a proper response), or anything else, just drop a review, and I'll respond!

So yeah, new story, so...

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again!

It Was You Ch 1: Teacher Teacher - Uploaded 06.03.2018

(Bonus AN: Spoilers for manga, if you don't want it, stop here)

* * *

Honestly, is anyone annoyed at what the hell the end of the regiment was? Honestly, the regiment arc was going on for so damn long, and while I expected the rebels to win (obviously), and while I smiled at Erina being Soma (nearly confirming the ship in my eyes), the aftershock was awful. Really? Soma first seat, Erina headmaster, appointed by Soma no less? God, I might be in the minority, but it feels so forced that it annoys the living hell out of me. And now, it just seems like it's going to be fluff. Great, just what I wanted.

If you guys who are also caught up (I don't want to read the newest chapter, it might just annoy me some more) want to help me understand the appeal, or want to talk about the manga in general, hit me up as well, as I would like to see the appeal in these new chapters.


	2. A Concerning Ride

Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma, just this story.

* * *

The sky sure is nice, isn't it?

At night, the way the stars seem to sparkle so brightly in the usual darkness of the night. They're like a lighthouse or a beacon, bringing everything around it together, protecting them from the harshness that is this world.

Or in Sōma's case, an excuse to have some salmon roe.

I silently giggled again at the joke he just told that in all accounts, should have failed. Under normal circumstances, him comparing the stars to fish eggs would have been horrid, and something I would have scolded him harshly for. But with us appreciating the scenery for a bit, before he brought it up because of his salmon chips somehow made me laugh.

In the silence that followed his joke, I thought about the events of the day, and the past couple of days, actually.

I'm glad that everyone passed the first part of the exams. I felt even better that the lessons Hisako and I taught were not in vain, as Sōma, Alice, Ryō, Megumi and Yuki were able to apply the lessons to create a dish to exceed the expectations of the obviously biased supervisor. It was not surprising that they were able to. Alice and Ryō know these techniques from the bottom of their hearts, and Yuki and Megumi were engaged in every class.

Even Sōma's progress was something to behold. The late-night lesson I gave him (as well as an additional one a few days later) really seemed to stick with him, as he, Alice and Ryō led the charge.

Even so, there was still something that was bugging me. The lack of sound made me think about the night of his first lesson.

"… Yukihira?" I asked a bit muted, worried that I would break the nice silence that befell us. A hum of agreement gave me the signal to continue my question, and hopefully get an answer.

"That first night I taught you… when did you go to sleep?" I couldn't shake the fact that so early in the morning, Sōma was awake, when we stayed up until almost two as I taught him. That, combined with his claim that cooking helps get his mind off of stuff made me worry for my once enemy.

Not that I cared for him more than the others, mind you, but I was still worried that his lack of sleep would haunt him later on.

My question got a chuckle from my redheaded ally. "I guess you noticed, huh."

I knew something was up, so I decided to press further, looking at him with a stern expression.

"Yukihira."

"I… I didn't really sleep." He finally said, and I let out a sigh of discontentment.

"I know that you like to cook, Yukihira, but seriously? You stayed awake the entire night?" I asked disapprovingly. That was both illogical and unsafe.

"Oh, don't worry, I did get some sleep." I flicked his forehead, and crossed my arms.

"Yes, during the middle of my lesson. Again." I don't know why I accommodated his second lesson, when he does something irresponsible like this.

He sheepishly smiled, rubbing the spot where I hit his head. "Yeah… sorry about that."

I sighed once again. "Whatever. And the second night?"

Sōma waved his hands in front of him, which confused me a bit. "Ok, I can tell you that I did go to sleep that night."

Sure, him going to bed was fine and all, but we ended late once again, and even without classes to worry about, he would need an adequate amount of sleep to not be at risk of harming himself.

"Alright then. How long?" I persisted, making him sigh.

"Maybe 2 to 3 hours." He said, and I shook my head in disbelief.

"I can't believe you. You do know sleep is important, right?" My question came out a bit rudely, but I wanted to let him know that his health is more important than cooking, something I wasn't sure he understood.

"Yeah, I know. Tadokoro and everyone from the dorm tells me so all the time." He smiled, then looking back to the sky. "But I can go without much sleep. And…"

I heard the hesitation in his voice, which confused me a bit. It was the first time I've ever heard him not be fully confident in his words. He's normally a ball of positivity, being able to spin anything into something good. All with that stupid grin on his face.

I looked to him, the uncertainty in his voice raising a flag, and his face reflected the tone. No joking look, no grin. It was a look of melancholy, and for the life of me, I couldn't understand why.

"Yukihira?" I asked gently, and he let out a small sigh. A tired sigh.

The sigh led to nothing, however, leaving an uncomfortable silence. Before I could say anything, Sōma shook his head.

"… It's nothing."

Before I could even question anything, he got out of the seat in front of me, and like a switch, he was all smiles again.

"Well, I'll leave you to whatever you were doing. I'll just keep going around the train. Your family sure is rich, Nakiri. Whenever I look around, there's always something cool to see!" He had a grin again, and I was at a loss for words.

"… Alright then. Good night Yukihira." I said a bit flatly, still confused and a bit worried.

"Night Nakiri! See you tomorrow, probably." He said as he walked off.

As he left, I reflected on what just happened, and noticed something.

He avoided the subject. He's hiding something.

…

And also, after I brought up his lack of sleep, his cheeky grin before he left didn't annoy me as much. I think… because it wasn't as energetic as usual.

Something was going on with my ally. That much was easy to see.

But what could it be, that just the thought of it can subdue his positivity?

* * *

 **Chapter End**

* * *

A/N: Hello everyone!

I know it's been a little while, but I wanted to write something, and with this story still not done, I wanted to continue it.

So, this chapter is nothing too big, just an extension of chapter 175, with the story stuff from last chapter being a part of it. I don't know how this chapter feels, honestly. I don't know if I like it or not. But ultimately, it's up to you readers.

So, please leave a review! I know this isn't like my usual chapters, but I still want to know how you guys feel about it. I don't know if I'll be responding to everyone, but I do read every review, and keep everything in mind when I want to write. If you want to tell me anything, I'm all ears.

But not too much else to talk about so, thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again soon!

It Was You Ch 2: A Concerning Ride - Uploaded 09.23.2018

(Bonus A/N - Just "behind the scene" stuff so to speak. If it doesn't interest you, you can stop here.)

* * *

So, like I said last chapter, I don't expect this story to have a consistent schedule, and well... I pretty much nailed that.

I've actually come to a dilemma in terms of writing over the course of that last few months. On one hand, I've lost a lot of the motivation for writing, due to the manga taking a direction I'm not a fan of (I read some of the recent chapters to see what was going on, and I didn't feel gravitated (probably due to me falling out of manga/anime stuff)) and just a general lack of interest. On the other hand, I would hate to leave a story unfinished, because of the promise I made to myself that I would finish every story I write.

And not to mention, most of the chapters are written, and they just need to be edited. The content I chose to write about is still stuff I enjoyed about the manga, but my lack of reading it might be getting in the way.

So I'm stuck. It wouldn't be hard to edit and finish this story, and I really want to. But the schedule would be super inconsistent, pretty much whenever I want to do so, and I don't know how often that would be.

I'm sorry to talk about these things, but I want to be honest, and at least have some justification for these gaps without anything.


	3. Life is Beautiful

Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma, just this story.

* * *

 _The True Gourmet that I want is absolute justice._

 _Erina, my daughter…_

 _Won't you join me?_

I jolted awake with a start, looking around frantically for any signs of my father. When I didn't feel his presence, I instead felt cool tears running down my face.

Another horrible dream…

Why am I still seeing this? I'm a rebel now. I know what I want out of cooking. So why am I still seeing something so horrible?

…

Do I still think these ideals are alright?

N-no! Of course not! Cooking should be an expression of one's self. It should be without restriction. Sōma taught me that.

But why?

…

This won't do anything. I wiped the tears away, and got out of my bed. While it was rather comfortable, the feeling of being in that bed didn't sit well with me.

But now, I can't sleep.

Maybe I need to clear my head. Yeah, that sounds right.

I quietly opened the door of my room, and closing it with the same lack of noise, started to roam around the Moon Shadow.

I used to see this train all the time, seeing the first years go on and traverse their way through the promotion exams. I used to be so excited when thinking of when I would be able to use this.

When thinking about it, I never expected to be under these conditions. So many of the friends I made during this first year are all expelled. While there were still four of us first year rebels left, the fact that Alice, Hisako, and everyone else lost their spot at Tōtsuki… it's chilling.

And now, when I think that their Tōtsuki careers… along with Megumi, Takumi and Sōma's are on the line…

And that I would have to go back to my father…

It's scary. It's a tough hill to climb, even with the caliber of the chefs that we have on our side of the Regiment. I don't know if all of our skills will be able to beat the top of the Elites. And I just can't imagine what it will be like if we lose.

But that's not for a while. Right now, I need to clear and reorganize my thoughts.

As I continued to walk through the various train cars, I took some time to look outside. The sky certainly is pretty. Beautiful, even.

I can attest that to that night when Sōma and myself looked in awe of the expanse of the night. Not to mention that silly joke he made.

I let out a giggle subconsciously. That joke was so out of the blue, that as dumb as the logic was, I couldn't help but laugh.

It's been like that for a while, with Sōma. That night was the first night I personally felt it, but it was true. I don't feel angry when I'm around him. I still feel annoyed at times, mind you. His tendency to act and talk irrationally still irritates me to no end. But I don't wish death upon him anymore. I don't wish for his expulsion, I don't feel the need to punch something when I see him. I feel… at peace? Is that the right term?

Honestly, I'm not sure. But I know that I don't really feel anything negative about him. I see him as my ally; one of my fellow rebels in our fight to take down my father and his corrupt ideals.

Although, when I look back at that night, I'm also reminded of his look of emptiness, his voice reflecting an unknown pain, and it haunted me. I still didn't know what that look meant.

As I entered one of the cars, I was met with a sight that was not expected: at one of the tables, the redhead in my thoughts was sitting, appearing to be sleeping. His head was on the table, his arms supporting the weight. It was an unexpected, but welcomed sight. Everyone knows of Sōma's horrible sleep schedule, so I wanted to give him the peace and quiet that he deserved.

I didn't want to wake him up and as such, I tried my best to traverse the train car quietly. Ultimately, it wouldn't work out, as I soon saw him flutter his eyes open, locking them on me.

"… Nakiri?" he asked, as he yawned and rubbed some sleep out of his eyes. "You're still up? You should be sleeping, you know? We still have some training to do tomorrow."

I scoffed, thinking of what he was just doing. "I could ask you the same thing, Yukihira. You have a bed of your own, you should not be sleeping in one of the chairs." I said with a hair flip, turning my head away from him. As I opened one eye to look for a response, I saw him grinning, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah… I just couldn't sleep. I had some thoughts in my head, so I just sat here, thinking. Guess I must have knocked myself out without noticing."

I raised an eyebrow, curious as to how both of our excursions outside of our rooms were for similar reasons.

Before I could voice anything, he got up, and pointed to the couches located near the tables.

"Well, since we're both up, you want to sit?"

I looked to the suggested seats: a round table, a long, circular couch extending most of the way, a view through the window, finished off with a curtain set for privacy. A fancy talking area for a fancy train. Just as I would expect from my family.

Even so, I didn't think much of Sōma's question, and I nodded. We got inside the little room, and we sat there for a few moments in silence.

It felt awkward, but when I looked at the redhead in front of me, he was just staring off, out into the night once again.

"Yukihira? What's on your mind?" I decided to ask, curious as to what would cause the normally energetic redhead to be so quiet and thoughtful.

"Hmm… just thinking about stuff." He said, and I let out a breath of annoyance.

"Of course, you would be thinking about something, idiot. Is there anything specific on your mind?" I tried to clarify, as apparently, asking what someone was thinking wasn't detailed enough.

He let out a soft chuckle, becoming silent after once again.

"Would it kill you to be a bit kinder, Nakiri?" He asked, but it was obvious in his voice that he was just joking. Honestly, the animosity I held for Sōma has mostly went away, ever since he made me realize what cooking really is. The cold voice is just remnants of what's left of my old, rich girl self. But he knew I wasn't being entirely serious with my words, so he, like always, just laughed it off.

"I could, but not to you, Yukihira." I said, smiling at this banter. My face became more serious after that. "But you're not answering me. I would like to know."

Sōma let out a small sigh, of annoyance or thought, I couldn't entirely tell. My heart opted to think the latter, but there was this feeling in the back of my head that suggested the former. Which would have been unfortunate, as I feel that the various meetings we've had since that night in his room have improved our relationship.

My feelings were proven right, however, as Sōma started his talk.

"Well… I was just thinking about the future." He said, and I felt a bit confused. Said confusion was likely written on my face, as Sōma looked at me skeptically.

"What?"

"I'm just confused… you're always thinking about cooking or food in someway." I let out a chuckle. "I'm surprised you were thinking of something so deep."

He sighed again, us sharing a small laugh after.

"Yeah, it's a bit surprising coming from me. I just… I just don't know what I want to do at Tōtsuki." The breath Sōma let out felt a lot more melancholic, as he stared off into the night again, his arms on the table. His face was serious, no joking aura in sight.

This look was a bit unsettling. The way his entire body exuded this aura of uncertainty, an expression I never would associate with him…

I couldn't just sit there, and not try to understand him. We're… acquaintances now. And as his acquaintance, I wanted to try and help. I don't know if I can do anything, but there's something in putting in some effort and trying, right?

I tentatively reached out my hand, and gently shook Sōma's resting arm. That seemed to break him from his trance, as he shook his head, turning his eyes back to me. When I looked back at him, I could see that his eyes were not as bright as they usually were. They always had a joy that existed in them, but it looked to be filled with some hints of sadness.

"Oh… sorry about that, Nakiri." He gave a light smile, while I looked at him with concern.

"Yukihira… what do you mean by not knowing what to do? You are one of the top chefs of this generation of students at Tōtsuki, and your future is bright. Is there something else?" I was genuinely curious and concerned about the thoughts of the redhead in front of me. As annoying as he can be from time to time, especially back when we first met, I hold a great deal of respect for him. His unorthodox methods of cooking truly symbolize the idea of the rebellion. And, it was the path for me to see the light.

For him to have any conflicting thoughts about his time here, whether it be the past, present or future, I wouldn't let that go unnoticed.

Not for Sōma, nor for any of the rebels.

"Well, besides trying to become better than pops… I don't know why I'm cooking. Sure, it's fun, it's great to become better at something… but, there's just something missing, you know?" Once again, that look of unexplainable sadness was there, taunting the both of us.

Telling him that his cooking life wasn't enough, telling me to try and do something. I felt powerless. How could I try and help him come to an answer, when I feel like I know nothing about him?

But at that moment, something came to mind.

"Well… you promised that I would eventually say that your food is good." I looked to his face as I voiced my idea. That promise seemed rather important to him, so I thought it would be good to bring up. Luckily, that did the trick, as the look of melancholy was absent, a small, but genuine chuckle accompanying a bright face.

"I did, didn't I?" I was eager to nod, happy to see some life in his eyes.

"You did. And if I remember right, I still have not said anything of the sort." Another chuckle came, and I felt… glad. Glad to see the Sōma I respect once again.

"You're right, Nakiri." Sōma gave a nod, and his face held a determination I never saw before.

"Alright then! I will make you say my food is good one day, I swear it to you." The conviction in his voice was something unfamiliar to me. I haven't heard him with this amount of drive and passion for a while. To hear it now, when he's just making a promise to me, was comforting, that I could give him that motivation.

"I'm sure you will, Yukihira. Try me." I said mockingly, causing him to grin.

"Believe me, I will do it eventually."

We fell into a comfortable silence, allowing the both of us to think. I could feel the cold breeze flowing through the air, and it did feel a bit uncomfortable.

But more than that, the lack of words between us brought me back to what kept me awake in the first place. And that was what got me shivering; just thinking of the past, back when my father had complete control of me. When he would hurt me, just so he can get his way.

Before any tears could form, though, I was alerted of Sōma's lingering presence.

"Hey, you alright Nakiri?" He started to look around the small room, curious as to why I was shivering. "It's a bit cold in here, isn't it? I can-"

"N-no. It's not that Yukihira." I stopped him before he could do anything irrational. But… I felt compelled to say something to him. He revealed something so personal to me, something that was haunting him for a while.

Does that make us friends? Him revealing his problems to me?

…

I don't think so. Not until I do the same.

But… should I? I mean, yes, I have revealed my inner turmoil to him before. That was what helped me see the light, after all. But to say something so deeply rooted as the reason I fear my father…

No, get past that, Erina. Sōma… he's a friend. Well, not a friend yet. But he will be. He's important to me, in a similar way that I'm important to him.

"Well, what's up then? I know I dropped some pretty heavy stuff on you, so I can hear you out. It's the least I can do."

I gave him a light smile. That's also why I felt compelled to tell him. Despite his annoyances, he can be a good listener when he needs to. I've seen him help so many people if they had a problem.

He's even helped me as well.

But can he do it again?

…

Ultimately… I don't know.

"Um… I'm not ready to tell you yet, Yukihira. I apologize." I bowed my head. I hated that for as caring as Sōma was trying to be, I just pushed him away. I don't want to reject any help, not anymore. And I will ask him, tell him what's wrong. Just not yet. I want to try and understand more of myself before opening up like that.

He gave me a smile once again, looking as bright as ever. "Alright then." He clasped my shoulder. "I won't force you. But just remember… I'm ready to listen, anytime you need to talk."

His smile brightened even more, if that was even possible, as he proceeded to get up, stretching out a hand to me, which I took, as we exited the small room.

"Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow. Night Nakiri." He waved as he started leaving. I had a small smile on my face, content in knowing something important to Sōma.

"Good night, Yukihira-kun." Before we parted ways entirely, he turned back.

"Oh, and thanks for tonight! I appreciate it." He said, grinning once again. That smile from before was still present on my face, as I was happy that we became a bit closer. The first step in accepting that friendship.

"It was no problem at all. I'm happy to help." And I was. Helping Sōma was uplifting, which made me want to help him more.

"Alright, good night!" We finally parted ways after that. When I made it back to my bed, I was still scared of experiencing that nightmare again, but I felt a bit better with our talk in mind.

 _Won't you join, my dear daughter?_

 _ **No… I don't want to.**_

 _ **But what do I want? W-what do I do?**_

* * *

 **Chapter End**

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone!

Sorry for the long wait, but life and the like took over, not to mention that like I've mentioned before, I'm not too invested in the fandom anymore. I just don't watch too much anime/read too much manga, so a lot of stuff has not been sticking.

However, I want to finish this story. Most of the chapters are written, and have been for a long time (this chapter was first written almost a year ago), it's just my lack of motivation causing the super slow releases.

But I will get this story finished, because I don't want to leave any of you guys waiting for something that will never be done. This will likely be my last story in this fandom, and I might move on to something else, I'm not sure. But, that's for the future to decide.

Anyway, this chapter is starting to develop more of the relationship between Soma and Erina. I'm pretty happy with it, although what makes sense to me might not to you guys, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Please leave a review! People have been leaving reviews and the like, but again, due to lack of motivation, I haven't been responding. I do read every review, however, so if anything is bothering you, or you just want to leave your thoughts, I'll be there, reading it.

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you soon!

It Was You Ch 3: Life is Beautiful - Uploaded 03.23.2018


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